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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition

Anonymous (traditionally attributed to Anton Joseph Kirchweger)

The Golden Chain of Homer

A New Translation from the German Edition of 1723

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The Golden Chain of Homer23 What the Generation of Minerals Is and Which Principles Constitute Them

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German & Latin Page · Branch 246 of 504

23 What the Generation of Minerals Is and Which Principles Constitute Them

German & Latin

1723 pp 187–188

Man nehme nur ein Corrosiv oder spiritual gemachtes Saltz und resolvire damit in einer Sand-Capelle in einem Kölblein digerendo eine Erde. Denn so man das corporalische hat, aus dem das vorgesetzte Corrosiv gemacht worden, thue es in ein Wasser, ut solvatur, giesse es auch über dergleichen Quantität Erden ab, setze zugleich ein zu solviren, inspice, vide Differentiam. Wenn es nun beyderseits solviret worden, so wird man mit dem Corrosiv einen bitterlichen stopffenden Vitriol bekommen: Mit dem corporalischen Saltz aber, minime hujus Qualitatis. Quid? solvire ein Metall so wohl mit trockenen oder nassen corporalischen Saltz in einen solchen recht mineralischen Vitriol entweder in Fluß oder durch Wasser in liquido, es wird einen grossen Unterscheid praestiren, das Corrosiv wird in puncto anfangen solches anzugreiffen und zu einem Vitriol machen, da das Saltz sich lange genug besinnen wird, und wird nimmermehr einen solchen Vitriol an Tugend, Krafft und Geschmack geben, als das Corrosiv. Wenn aber einer noch dubitirte und sagte, es sey nicht wahr, daß die Natur per corrosivum die Mineralia machte: So sage ich ihm: 1.) er solle es unterdessen so lange nicht glauben, bis er durch viel Fehler und Irrgehen sich dahin zwingen läßt.

1723 pp 187–188

The Golden Chain of Homer: 23 What the Generation of Minerals Is and Which Principles Constitute Them

1723 pp 187–188

Take a corrosive, or a salt made spiritual, and digest an earth with it in a small flask in a sand bath, dissolving it. Then take the corporeal salt from which that corrosive was made, put it in water so that it dissolves, pour it upon an equal quantity of the same earth, and set both to dissolve together. Examine them and see the difference. When both have dissolved, the corrosive will give a bitterish, astringent vitriol; the corporeal salt will give nothing of that quality. What then? Dissolve a metal with dry or wet corporeal salt into such a truly mineral vitriol, whether by fusion or through water in a liquid state: a great difference will appear. The corrosive will begin to attack immediately and make a vitriol, while the salt will deliberate long enough and never give a vitriol equal to the corrosive’s in virtue, power, and taste. If someone still doubts and says it is untrue that nature makes minerals through a corrosive, I tell him, first, to withhold his belief until many mistakes and wanderings compel him to it.

1723 pp 187–188

About This Reading Edition

The two-book alchemical work of 1723 in German with a new English translation, 399 notes, eight historical diagrams, chapter outlines, keyword essays, a glossary, bibliography, subject index, and 400 discussion questions.

Discussion Questions

Historical Text and Translation

Anonymous, Aurea Catena Homeri. Frankfurt and Leipzig: Johann Georg Böhme, 1723. Traditionally attributed to Anton Joseph Kirchweger; the attribution remains uncertain. Historical diagrams from the Stiftung der Werke von C. G. Jung copy digitized by e-rara.

About Diotimos Editions

This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.

Rights

The supplied edition identifies the 1723 German source and historical diagrams as public-domain material. Its new English translation and editorial apparatus are published with the site owner’s authorization. The complete original files are retained unchanged.